It’s a question that has received different responses but considering it was against a FIFA team he’s usually accredited with 91 official matches which included that team.
Some additional information about the goals and assists in regards to missing info of some previous addressed matches. The newspaper of Crónica detailed that in the following games Diego set up goals. 1 assist (second goal of the team) 1 assist (first team goal)
Some more additional info about assists with the newspaper of Crónica and some rare photos. On Diego’s 17th birthday! 1 assist (first team goal)
For the Metropolitan 1977 championship there is at least 3 additional direct assists confirmed using the Crónica newspaper.
Great stuff as always @Vegan10 Lets make a stats update of Maradona career up to this point, including the 3 discovered assist from the 77 Metro and the Fifa All Star Game considered now official. (08-08-1979) ARGENTINOS JUNIORS: official: 109 games, 61 goals, 19 assist, 9 free kicks and 11 penalties unofficial: 12 games, 13 goals, 2 assist, 1 free kick and 3 penalties Total: 121 games, 74 goals, 21 assist, 10 free kicks, 14 penalties. ARGENTINA YOUTH NATIONAL TEAM: official: 8 games, 1 goal, 2 assist unofficial: 8 games, 5 goals, 2 assist, 1 free kick Total: 16 games, 6 goals, 4 assist, 1 free kick ARGENTINA SENIOR NATIONAL TEAM: official: 12 games, 3 goals, 1 assist unofficial: 7 games, 3 goals, 1 assist Total: 19 games, 6 goals, 2 assist CAREER TOTALS: official: 129 games, 65 goals, 22 assist, 9 free kicks, 11 penalties unofficial: 27 games, 21 goals, 5 assist, 2 free kicks, 3 penalties Total: 156 games, 86 goals, 27 assist, 11 free kicks, 14 penalties
I have discovered some additional friendlies that Maradona played in the beginning of his career with Argentinos Juniors. I will post them briefly but here are several: Between 20 to 25/01/1977 Seleccion Benito Juarez - Argentinos Juniors (unknown result) Stadium: Juarez Maradona was a starter and he’s the little fellow with the ball. https://m.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=2525473650880990&id=575351145893260 Between 22 to 25 of January 1977 Seleccion Tandil 1-2 Argentinos Júniors Stadium: San Martin This match was interesting because it’s the first red card Diego ever received that was registered as a professional. He was sent off for protesting towards the end of the match. These matches were against regional sides that were amateur in the provinces of Argentina. https://www.eleco.com.ar/historias/las-dos-veces-que-jugo-maradona-en-el-estadio/
Another friendly discovered: 09/07/1977 Ferro Carril Oeste de Trenque Lauquen 0-2 Argentinos Júniors https://www.infoecos.com.ar/index.p...e-argentinos-juniors-jugo-en-trenque-lauquen/ This friendly was against the best team of that region, Ferro Carril Oeste.
A few days later he played another match in the region. 11/07/1977 Deportivo tres Lomas 0-2 Argentinos Juniors http://culturalydeportiva.blogspot.com/2014/03/la-historia-completa-de-la-foto-de.html?m=1
So including those 4 friendly match, Diego stats are 160 games, 86 goals so far including official and unofficial games, with 125 games and 74 goals for Argentinos Juniors.
Friendly 10/08/1979 Chaco Forever 1-1 Argentinos Juniors Stadium: Chaco Forever, Resistencia — Northeastern Argentina This was one of the few remaining games of Diego prior to departing for Japan in the quest at conquering the Youth World Cup title. I have translated this from a Chaco website. https://www.chacodiapordia.com/2020/11/26/el-dia-que-maradona-jugo-en-el-chaco/ More than 41 years have passed, but the game will remain in the history of Chaco’s sport. It is that on Friday, August 10, 1979, Diego Armando Maradona stepped on Chaco soil with his still young 18 years age to play a friendly. And it was the only time he played in Chaco. His Argentinos Juniors and Forever team saw each other on the “black” field, within the framework of a preparation match that ended 1 to 1 and of which only 65 minutes were played, since the match had to be suspended at 20 minutes of the second half by a strong storm that crossed Resistencia, the northern province of Argentina. The “red bugs” began winning with a goal from Diego, 25th minute in the first half, from a penalty, and almost at the end of the stage Forever reached a tie through Raúl Vargas. The stadium was full but the rain and subsequent storm left the field flooded, which is why the referee Pascual Pérez decreed the suspension of the match. It was the only time that Maradona played in our lands, since then he went to Boca where he was champion in 1981; and since 1982 he began his career in Europe. With his painful departure, the indelible memory for the only time Diego played in Chaco. SYNTHESIS FOR EVER (1): C. Dávalos, J. Benítez, P. Villalba, O. Curbetti, R. Franco, C. González, P. Cáceres (R. Mansilla) R. Vargas, J. Fresco (L. Ugarte) R. Barrientos, O. Benítez (C. Saucedo). Sup .: E. Ojeda. DT: R. Puppo. ARGENTINES (1): R. Rigante, C. Carrizo (A. Domenech) R. Pellerano, C. Chischio, H. Minutti, H. Maghalaes, R. Ríos, D. Maradona, R. Favret, M. Finarolli, H Saggiorato. Sup .: O. Candia. DT: Delem. Goals: 25PT Diego Maradona (A), from penalty. 45PT Raúl Vargas (FE). Incidence: Suspended at 20ST due to an intense storm. Referee: Pascual Pérez. Summary: 1 goal (PK) https://m.facebook.com/202047096502...o-con-pelota-d/1599299940110263/?locale=es_LA
Friendly 15/08/1979 Argentinos Juniors 5-4 Talleres de Córdoba Stadium: Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires In commemoration of the 75th anniversary of Argentinos Juniors, the club faced one of the best club’s outside of Buenos Aires from Argentina, the Talleres team which Diego debuted against in the first division in 1976. But in addition, the club invited Bochini, Wolff and Gatti to play for them. It was said that it was a great spectacle with Diego scoring two goals from the penalty spot. Summary: 2 goals (2 penalty kicks) https://www.clubtalleres.com.ar/tal...a-celebrar-los-75-anos-de-argentinos-juniors/ http://revistauncanio.com.ar/toques-intrascendentes/empalagados-de-futbol/
Friendly 18/08/1979 Argentina Youth team 2-1 Mexico Youth team Stadium: Old Coliseum, Los Angeles — USA This was the last test before the NT embarked on their quest of conquering Japan. Menotti would say prior to the Youth World Cup: “I don’t know if we will win but I’m sure we will play well.” [...] The truth is the squad had little preparation for the upcoming tournament, but all indications were that it was a team peaking at the right time. The youth Mexican side was a good test, they were considered a competitive team that had qualified to the World Cup. They played a good physical game pushing Argentina to the limits of their capabilities. Argentina won thanks to Maradona and Barbas, but Barbas was considered the star of the match and would become a revelation at the tournament. Maradona would polish his finishing by scoring a trademark free kick before the half was over, where El Gráfico captioned: “Free kick for the left foot of Maradona. Half a goal when he steps up to take the kick...” [...] The goal proved to be the match-winner but the result wasn’t so important. What was important was the idea implemented by Menotti and how his team respected the style that made Argentina a respected foe. The qualities of touch and go, rotation, sprints, stopping on the dime and the gambeta (zigzag dribble) is what characterized Argentina’s and Menotti’s style. In that respect, the high points of the team was goalkeeper García, Juan Barbas, a player with a full capacity to cover lots of ground and Maradona — “simply Maradona” — as El Gráfico wrote. But the concerns were still apparent, defensively the team had issues and the wingers were still unconvincing. And Ramon Diaz up front was still not in form. If Maradona is the Pelé of Argentina, then Diaz had to be Cautinho, as Menotti had sentenced. But Diaz and his capacity up front remained an enigma. Japan would be his moment of truth if Argentina were to coronate themselves. Summary: 1 goal (free kick) The FIFA Youth World Cup of Japan ‘79 awaited Diego next and all the pressure and attention would be on his shoulders to deliver.
A preview of the 1979 Youth World Cup in Japan with its teams and stadiums. Some last minute changes had been made. The stadium of Hiroshima had been dropped for the arena of Nagoya. Another important change was that North Korea, who was pitted in the group with Argentina, Yugoslavia and Poland had been replaced for political purposes by Indonesia.
Down the memory lane of the previous encounter that qualified Argentina to the Youth World Cup. The team that would feature in Japan with all of its results leading up to the competition before the Mexico match. Diego training in Japan
Japan ‘79 The contenders There were at least 4 teams that on paper were pre-tournament favorites, according to FIFA. The Soviet Union (current champions), Argentina, Uruguay and Poland. https://www.fifa.com/u20worldcup/archive/japan1979/ The Soviets were the current holders of the previous World Cup and had won the Toulon championship in June. They also won the European qualifying championship held in Poland. They were considered the team to beat at youth level. Uruguay had won the World Cup Qualifying championship on home soil and were a podium team in the previous World championship. Argentina ended runner-up behind Uruguay in qualification and 5th in Toulon. Poland finished 3rd in European qualification after getting knocked out by the Soviets in semifinals. They were viewed by Menotti as the most dangerous side in Argentina’s group. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1978_UEFA_European_Under-18_Championship